themselves to cricket during the build-up to the final team selection for Kenya have come under fire from Joe Bailey.

The chairman of the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control's selection committee, who has for long stuck to the board's policy of withholding comments on various internal matters, yesterday broke his silence in obvious frustration over the decision by players to involve themselves in soccer at this crucial period.

"I personally am very disappointed with the players who are involved in soccer, it's really upsetting. All were told by the board that they were not to play soccer and were to give a total commitment to the ICC programme,'' said Bailey.

He was making the comments after being approached about other pressing matters in cricket. Bailey refused to comment on when former West Indies Test player Michael Holding will be confirmed as a part-time coach for the squad and when the final 16 will be confirmed.

Neither was he willing to comment on the status of the other players who have been involved in the training programme -- those names who were not included in an unofficial tour party named in The Royal Gazette last week.

Many of these same questions were put to Reginald Pearman, vice-president of the board, but he also refused to give any answers.

What few comments Bailey did offer though could have been provoked by Ricky Hill's recent injury when he suffered a rib fracture while representing North Village in a soccer game.

Hill defended his decision to play soccer by saying: "It was for fitness and I don't see any real harm in it. It (the accident) was just one of those freak accidents for me. It could have happened to anyone.'' In addition to Hill, the other players who have turned out for soccer teams include Olin Jones, Del Hollis, Lionel Cann and Dean Minors, with Clay Smith considering to do likewise shortly for St. George's.

Minors, who is understood to have been left out of the final squad, yesterday said that his reason for playing soccer was to prove that he was 100 percent physically fit.

He believed that the board was under the impression that he was still hampered by the knee, which was operated on last year, and he felt that this could have jeopardised his chances of making the squad.

"I wasn't trying to rebel or anything like that. There were rumours that I was left out of the squad because of doubts about my fitness and playing soccer was my way of proving that I have no physical problems,'' said Minors.

"I can understand the board's problem when it comes to their policies about players involved in the two sports. Playing soccer was my way to prove a point at this time and also to work on my physical fitness.'' The board were to hold a special meeting last night to discuss the formation of the squad.